A few weeks ago, I visited the Montgomery Street Antique Mall in Fort Worth for the first time in quite a while. They had some wonderful fashion dolls and fashion doll clothing for sale. I had so much fun wandering through the store and picking a few items, which included these three doll dresses and a (human) sewing pattern.
The dresses were only a dollar or two apiece, and each required some fixing-up. Today, I finally took the time to mend and iron the dresses, and take photos in the beautiful summer weather.
The yellow sheath dress with brown dots is definitely a hand-made creation, and I believe the long, yellow evening gown is hand-made as well. The white sheath dress appears to be company-made, but I could be wrong.
I thought this yellow evening gown looked so beautiful on Gertrude (Tropical Miko, 1985). I have had Gertrude since 2011.
The gathering at the back had come loose and unraveled. I used a lot of Fray Check today! I covered every edge. Ironing the dress (carefully) also made a big difference, although the stars are very delicate, and I feared crushing them, so I didn't iron the top layer much.
The white sheath dress looks perfect on Katharina (Heart Family Mom, 1985). I accessorized it with a white scarf from a mixed doll clothing lot. I purchased Katharina from a thrift store in Austin, Texas in 2017.
The hand-made sheath dress seemed perfect for Fayanne. It had a farmhouse feel to it, and Fayanne has that kind of vibe. The edges were hemmed in dark brown and red zig-zag stitch that was a little uneven. I glued white grosgrain ribbon over it with Liquid Stitch, and I think that improved it a lot.
When I was looking through my Barbie boxes, I found a few other vintage dresses in yellow and white that I never mended and tried on my dolls. I need to get to that very soon.
Comments
Doesn't it make you feel good to restore pre-loved items and see them come to life again on your dolls. :)
Are you going to make the dress from the pattern you found? Puff sleeves are all the rage now, though a little longer than the one on the left hand side, but that wouldn't be difficult to lengthen.
Big hugs,
X
I think that pattern is incredibly cute and within my comfort zone. The puff sleeves are lovely and the dress is a pull-over, no zipper or buttons. It doesn't need fancy fabrics, either, very no-fuss.